The last Singhasari king
A thirteenth-century temple.
Laron suka rawon — CC BY 4.0 · Anyawakuwaku — CC BY 4.0 · Hugo van den Bos — CC BY 2.0 · Hugo van den Bos — CC BY 2.0
A late-thirteenth-century stone temple in Singosari town north of Malang, built to honour Kertanegara, the last king of the Singhasari kingdom that ruled East Java before Majapahit rose. It is one of that kingdom's most important remains, with the East Javanese hallmarks of a tall body and a tiered roof. Strikingly, its carving was never finished: some of the faces high up are complete while others are still rough blocks, as if work stopped with the kingdom's fall. About two hundred metres away stand two giant guardian statues some four metres tall, among the largest stone statues in Java. Entry is free with an optional donation and signing the visitors' book; the site is small and quiet in a tidy garden. Half an hour is enough, and it pairs with Jago Temple in Tumpang for a half-day ruins tour. Do not miss the two guardians along the road.
A thirteenth-century temple.
Finished faces beside rough blocks.
About four metres tall.
Singosari, about 10 km north of Malang
For ruins lovers yes: it is close and free, best paired with Jago Temple. For grand temples, Borobudur and Prambanan in Yogyakarta are the ones.